David Linklater
The car we’ve always said Toyota New Zealand (TNZ) should be selling has finally arrived. Just one catch: it’s slightly used.
Toyota has long been regarded as a leader in alternative and ecofriendly powertrain technology. It was a pioneer of hybrid engines and continues to sell them by the millions.
The flag-bearer (if not a big seller in NZ) for Toyota’s ecosmarts has always been the Prius. It’s the ideal showcase for advanced technology and has been available as plug-in model with 60kW electric motor in the United States, Europe and Japan since 2012.
In fact, until 2014 it was the biggest-selling plug-in vehicle in the world. It’s since been overtaken by the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Tesla Model S.
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Despite NZ being one of a few select countries to participate in pre-launch demonstration programmes for the Prius PHV, only three examples were ever imported and none were offered for sale to the Kiwi public. Too hard, too expensive and not available to us from the factory anyway, said TNZ. Thus ended its chance to have bragging rights as the first brand to bring a production plug-in to the local market.
For the record, Holden was first with the Volt, in 2012. Although it was painfully expensive at $85,000 and sold in minuscule numbers, with Holden pulling the plug last year when it was confirmed that there would be no right-hook version of the next-generation model. It’s not easy being green. Or first.
Maybe that proves TNZ’s point. Anyway, it’s been left up to Mitsubishi to really mainstream plug-in technology in NZ, with its Outlander PHEV. Start price for that model is $59,990.
TNZ’s answer to the forwardlooking EV trend has come from an unusual quarter: used cars from Japan. It’s now selling the previous-generation plug-in Prius through its Signature Class programme.
So while the cars are between two and four years old, with up to 25,000km on the clock, you get five years full Toyota warranty (including the battery), including roadside assistance and free Warrant of Fitness checks. That’s actually better than the standard Signature package, which only runs to three years.
Prices range from $30,000 to $40,000, depending on age and specification. There’s an entrylevel PHV L model, which still has keyless start, climate air conditioning and full-colour 6.1-inch touch screen. The S adds gas-discharge headlights and upgraded audio, as well as Touch Tracer controls on the steering wheel. The flagship G gets cruise control and keyless entry, or you can step up to the G ‘leather pack’ that has (you guessed it) partleather upholstery, radar cruise control and Pre-Crash safety technology.
There’s a ‘‘pilot dealer group’’ for the Prius PHV in Auckland (two), Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu, Wellington and Christchurch. All have free charging zones for PHV customers: the 15-amp devices take about 90 minutes to juice the Prius to capacity, or it can be charged at home on a domestic plug in about two and a half hours.
TNZ only expects to sell 100 cars this year, but as numbers grow the dealer group will be expanded.
We had an extremely brief run in the Prius PHV last week out of its home base: TNZ’s Signature Class used-vehicle refurbishment plant in Thames. Mind you, more time would not necessarily have been more informative because we had the opportunity to run the car in zero-emissions EV model for some urban driving and a bit of open-road work, before the battery was exhausted.
Once the thing’s gone flat, it reverts to hybrid mode like a regular Prius and the driving experience is very similar. The two versions even weigh about the same, because the higher-capacity lithium-ion batteries have superior energy density to the nickel-metal hydride units employed in the standard Prius.